2 
SERAPIAS Lineva. 
Tongue-lipped Serapias. 
- GYNANDRIA MONANDRIA.—Nar. Onv. ORCHIDES. 
Gen. Cuar.—Corolla ringens. Labellum ecalcaratum: Columna cuspidata. 
Pedicelli pollinis inserti glandula unica cucullo inclusa.—Br. in Hort, Ken. 
Serapis Lingua; labello tripartito, laciniis lateralibus obtusis erectis 
conniventibus, media oblonga lanceolata acutiuscula glabriuscula 
dependente.— Willd. , | 
S. Lingua, Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 1344.—Witup. Sp. Pl. v. iv. p. 70.—Arr. Hort. 
Ken. ed. 2, v. 5. p. 195. 
The root of this plant consists of one large, nearly spherical, plump and 
fleshy tuber, with a smaller shrivelled one by its side, and above these a 
few rather thick, carnose, simple bres. Stem 8 inches to 14 foot high, 
flexuose, leafy. Leaves lanceolate, the middle ones long and narrow, 
smooth, pale green, sai nerved ; the uppermost passing gradually 
into bracteas. 
Spike composed of from 2 to 5, or even 8 inclined flowers, each subtended 
by a lanceolate and acuminated, sheathing, purplish-green, large bractea. 
Perianth of 5 narrow, lanceolate and much acuminated, connivent, united 
leaflets, the 2 innermost being very narrow, and scarcely separable from 
the upper one; their colour is a pale yellow-green, with purplish red 
lines. Lip large, and 3-lobed, yellowish-white at its base within, and 
having, just where it joins on to the receptacle, an oblong, deep purple 
tubercle or gland (Fig. 3.), the 2 lateral lobes broad, erect and incurved, 
_ fine purple colour, almost wholly covered by the galea; middle lobe ob- 
longo-ovate, rather acute, pendent, or even reflexed, a little waved, yel- 
lowish-white, pubescent at the base, the margin reddish. Column of 
JSructification rather lengthened, yellowish-green, running out into a long 
attenuated point beyond the Anther. Germen somewhat clavate, not 
twisted. Stigma broadly ovate, viscid, in the front of the column. Azther — 
fine yellow, obovate, 2-celled, with one little point at the base, in which 
is inserted the single gland, bearing the 2 yellow pollen-masses (Fig. 5.) 
The two species of Serapias, 8. Lingua and S. cordigera, 
have a very close affinity with each other, and are scarcely to 
be distinguished but by the larger size of the sie and the 
VOL. I. 
